Research Highlights
Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Peridynamics Simulations of Impact Sensing at the Mesoscale in Energetic Materials |
An in-house Peridynamics code with thermo-electro-mechanical coupling has been developed to demonstrate strain and damage sensing at the mesoscale in energetic materials. The mesoscale representations are taken from micro-CT images and consist of energetic grains embedded in a piezoresistive nanocomposite binder. Electrodes are placed along the edges to monitor changes in resistance associated with a compression wave and the damage that follows from a low velocity (up 50 m/s) impact event. Results demonstrate an ability to sense the approaching compression wave and observe a transition from strain sensing to damage sensing. |
Dielectrophoresis Applied to Create Carbon Nanotube Filaments |
Use of AC electric field to form filaments of carbon nanotubes in alignment with the direction of the applied electric field. The carbon nanotubes were dispersed in a UV photopolymerizable acrylate solution with the electric field applied prior to applying the UV light to solidify the polymer and lock the carbon nanotubes into position.
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Atomistic Simulation of Normal Mode Force vs Separation Response of Epoxy-Graphene Interface |
Simulation in LAMMPS of crosslinked epoxy polymer being separated from a graphene sheet to measure the normal force vs separation response. Due to the crosslinking network, it is observed that the van der Waals interactions are not sufficient to produce cleavage in the epoxy, and as such, the epoxy cleanly separates from the graphene surface. This differs from what was observed for polyethylene as well as what was observed for functionalized graphene and polyethylene. |